Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-01-14
The Tobacco Tax.

The Tobacco Tax.
New York city has no sympathy with
Virginia or North Carolina, II we may ac'
cept as yoicing her sentimen $ the speeches
made a, the meeting held In that city on
Wednes day evening last under the auspices
OF the Free Trade Club. We suppose,
however, that the Tariff Reformers even OF
of New York city would not II questioned
admit that they were free traders; for we
cannot imagine that any man in his right
mind would expect the people ofthe United
States to agree 10 abolish all the custom
houses and support the Government by d.
rect taxation, nor by internal taxes.
New York "tarifi reiormers" are very
much opposed to the abolition Of the tax
upon tobacco, fruit-brandies, &c. They
declare that the proposition is a device Of
the Protectionists to eyade uniustly the
tariff question. And our friend FRANK
Dawson, in his speech to the "tarif re.
formers" asked, as IL his mere words would
answer the interrogatory, "Of what earthly
use to the general community isareducti0n
of the internal tax on liquors and tObaccO?'
The Legislature OF Virginia answered thst
interrogatory q year ago by requesting
her Senators and Representatives In Con-
eress to vote for the total abolition
OF all internal taxes. The following is the
resolution. 1t was passed on the 9th Of
January, 1886:
" RESOLVED 6y the House of Delegates
(the Senate concurIing,) That the Virginia
Senators and Representatives in the Con
eress OF the United states are requested TO
exert themselves earnestly for the passage
OF a law repeating all existing laws i'm
posing internal-revenue taxes by the Fede-
raj Government"
When confronted with the statement that
such legislation as be demanded might have
a tendency to convert Virginia into Rs-
publican state, Mr.. DAWSON exclaimed,
al DO say that great as has been Yirginia's
heroisID, great as has been her sacrifices, ]
say let her 60 in peace, No Common
wealth or group Of Commonwealth can be
allowed to perpetuate wrong to the Anne
rican people"
What! Would the repeal Of the tobacco
tax be ga wrong to the American people y,
A thousand times "no." But Mr.. DAw-
SONS exclamation was received by the
"tariff reiormers" with "wiId cheers"
He was understood to mean, and did mean,
that to abolish the internal taxes in prefer
ence to "reiorming the tariff" would be
wrong to the Amenc1n people," North
Carolina lies side bY side with South Caro-
lima, and 1t is to be presumed that Der lie.
gislaiure truly represents the opinions OF
her people. Well, upon the very question
which Mr.. DAWSON raised, and upon the
same day that he raised it, the popular
branch Of the North Carolina Legislature
passed the following resolution:
"That our Senators and Representatives
in Congress are hereby requested 10 exert
their utmost efforts to secure the repeal OF
the inteTnal-revenue system, and 70 make
this repeal, In connection with the Blair
education bill. paramount TO all other pO-
Iitical considerations. AS between the two
propositions-the repeal Of the internal
revenue system and the reduction OF the
tariff-we unhesitatingly prefer the for
mer."
That resolution was adopted after full
discussion Of its merits, and we have no
doubt was adopted by vote nearly or
quite unanimous, seeing that only twenty
eight votes were cast for the motion to table
il.
The businessmen OF Richmond, those Of
New York, those OF Baltimore, and those
nftr,,s
in favor OF the total abolition of the tax
upon tobacco.
Mr.. DAWSON dwelt upon the tarlHtaXes
which he says burden the "poor farmers"
But The meeting which ne addressed re.
solved that ":he alternative proposition
advanced by the PrOtectOnists TO add su.
gar alone to the free list should be con-
demned now as a subtle design to block
the way to the free admission Of raw mi
terials."
The people pay tax OF fifty millions a
year upon sugar, but the proposition TO re-
move that burthen is denounced as q
subtle design TO block the way to the free
admission Of raw materials"
New York "tsriff reiormers" would
rsther have raw materials admitted free
thrn TO remove a burthen Of fifty millions
OF dollars collected from sugar valued at
only sixty.nine millions II there is anv
proposition looking to the protection OF
their industries which tue people Of Vir.
ginia are in favor OF, il Is the proposition to
keep such a tariff upon raw materials
as will not drive The raw materials which
she produces entirely out Of the field and
close up her mines. But the New York Ia
riff reformers would admit raw materials
flee and shut up all our own natural re-
sources IN the bowels OF the earth, and tax
sugar 20 per cent. Of is value-S50, 600, 900
tax, s69,C0O,OOO sugar! (see sPoFFoRD
for 1856.
II either the tariG tax upon sugar or the
taTin tax upon Yaw materials Il 10 be done
away with, The people OF Virginia would, we
doubt moi, favor the abolition OF the former.
Our industries are not by any means too
diversified.
We have spoken Of the meeting IN New
York on "Wednesday evening as il il had
been representative meeting Of the people
OF that city. But We do not believe that IL
was such meeting; and we should DO ia.
justice TO the misses In that great city il We
did not make tins disclaimer.
--~-
The debates 10 the United States Senate
On The interstate commerce bill have been
very interesting. 1t Is war Of men who
are capable OF bringing out all that Il good